Trustee in Chelmsford

HARP is South Essex’s leading homelessness charity and a Registered Social Landlord. Founded in 2002, we support more than 1,000 people each year who are homeless, rough sleeping, vulnerably housed, or at risk of losing their accommodation. On any given night we provide accommodation for over 320 people, and our Bradbury Day Centre operates 365 days a year, offering practical support that helps people move from crisis towards stability and long-term independence.

Over the past few years HARP has grown significantly in scale and complexity. Alongside our core mission, we have strengthened our housing pathway, broadened our partnerships, and developed a more mature approach to governance, assurance and regulation. We are coming to the end of our current five-year strategy and are taking stock: consolidating progress, strengthening sustainability, and shaping what comes next. To support this next phase, we are recruiting five new Trustees, including an Honorary Treasurer. Several long-serving trustees are approaching the end of their terms, and we want to bring in new voices, new skills and new perspectives. You do not need to have been a trustee before. What matters most is sound judgement, a willingness to engage, and a clear commitment to the people HARP exists for.

The roles

Trustees play a central role in how HARP is governed and held to account. As a member of the Board, you will help set strategic direction, safeguard the charity’s purpose and reputation, and ensure strong oversight of performance, risk, quality and financial stewardship. Trustees also contribute through committee work, where detailed governance happens between Board meetings.

Honorary Treasurer (Trustee)

The Treasurer is a trustee with particular responsibility for HARP’s financial health. You will work closely with the Chief Executive and Executive Director of Finance, chair the Finance Committee, help the Board understand the numbers and make good decisions, and ensure strong controls, risk management and transparent reporting. As HARP is regulated both as a charity and as a Registered Social Landlord, the Treasurer plays an important role in evidencing financial viability and value for money.

What you will do

As a Trustee, you will:

• Attend and contribute at Board and committee meetings, reading papers, asking good questions and bringing your experience to bear.
• Help set direction and keep a clear line of sight between strategy, delivery and impact.
• Support and challenge constructively, helping HARP make good decisions, manage risk well, and stay ambitious but realistic.
• Safeguard purpose and integrity, ensuring HARP meets the standards expected by our regulators, funders and stakeholders.
• Act as an ambassador, representing HARP with credibility and warmth in the community and with partners.

As Treasurer, you will also:

• Provide financial leadership at Board level, guiding budgets, forecasts, accounts, reserves, liquidity and audit.
• Champion strong financial controls, assurance and risk, including oversight of key financial policies and governance.
• Support major investment and property decisions, helping the Board understand implications and trade-offs.
• Chair the Finance Committee and report clearly to the wider Board.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for people who are thoughtful, grounded and motivated by HARP’s mission. You will:

• Think strategically, while taking stewardship and accountability seriously.
• Listen well, analyse issues carefully, and contribute with independence and integrity.
• Be comfortable offering both encouragement and challenge, with respect and good judgement.
• Bring a collaborative mindset, and an interest in the lived experience of homelessness and multiple disadvantage.

We are committed to building a Board that reflects the diversity of the communities HARP serves. We particularly welcome interest from people who have been underrepresented on charity boards, and from those with lived experience of homelessness, housing insecurity, or the issues that intersect with them.

Areas of focus in this recruitment round

We are seeking five appointments across the following profiles:

• Honorary Treasurer - Qualified accountant or equivalent senior financial leadership experience. Experience in regulated environments is particularly relevant, including social housing or charities.
• Trustee, Housing and Registered Provider governance - Senior experience in registered provider governance, asset management, housing regulation, investment, or development.
• Trustee, Commercial / Retail / Social enterprise - Someone excited by income generation and social enterprise, with leadership experience in retail, hospitality, commercial growth or building a mission-led business.
• Trustee, System leadership (health, commissioning, homelessness) - Senior experience across health, public health, integrated care, commissioning, or system-wide partnership work, with insight into complex needs and joined-up services.
• Trustee, Cause-led / creative (“wild card”) - A visionary, values-driven thinker who brings a different lens, creativity and energy, and is excited by what HARP could become.

Time commitment and term

Trustee: approximately 6–12 days per year, including preparation. Honorary Treasurer: approximately 12–15 days per year. Term: three years, renewable (maximum nine). These roles are voluntary and unremunerated. Reasonable expenses are reimbursed. Whilst the preference is that board meetings are attended in-person, they can be attended virtually.

Why now

This is a practical, hands-on opportunity to join a charity with real scale, strong services, and a clear sense of purpose, at a point where good governance and clear thinking will shape what happens next. If you can bring judgement, curiosity and commitment, and you want to contribute to an organisation that exists to help people move from crisis to recovery, we would be very pleased to hear from you.

Closing date: Midnight on Thursday 18th June

To apply: To apply, please submit an up-to-date copy of your CV (three sides of A4 maximum), along with a supporting statement (three sides of A4 maximum) detailing your experience, and achievements and addressing the key criteria for the role set out on this site and using examples to demonstrate how you meet the requirements. Documents should be uploaded via our website, please include and upload the below information in two documents only.

If you experience any issues whilst applying, please contact.

Applications should include:

• Full contact details;
• Names, positions, organisations and contact details for two referees (we will ask your permission before contacting referees);
• Details of your notice period;
• Notification of any dates when you are not available for an interview.

At Tile Hill, we are committed to inclusion and accessibility. We champion and support all individuals to ensure everyone feels valued, listened to and motivated to get the very best out of each recruitment process and that processes are designed to meet the needs of individuals. If you have any specific requests and would like a confidential discussion with the Tile Hill team, then please email.